If the Darkness Were Different
by shattered
Summary: An Alanna goes to the covenent, but she becomes more than a lady, and unlike anyone else. Bad title. sorry.
1. Lady Alanna

Title:  If the Darkness Were Different

Author:  shattered

Rating:  PG or so.

Disclaimer:  I do not own these characters, which should be obvious, because if I did, would I posting at FANfiction.net.  I thought not.

Summery:  A shifting in the Bazhir balance forces Alanna to go to the Covenant, but not simply to become a lady, but to become something *more*.

AN:  This is really important.  This is so totally AU, you won't really understand much if you don't read this.

            The gods did NOT let Alanna go to Court, they made her go to the Covenant, when Maude Saw in the fire at Trebond.  Also Thom was never quite so helpless with weapons, he just didn't like fighting or training or hunting.  In the course of his years at the palace he's become more open and realized that he had to be a better knight, a good knight for the sake of his family, and for the sake of appearances.  Plus when his sister came he **knew** she'd tease him mercilessly if he sucked.  So he trained hard, and he's good, Raoul's his knight master.

            Delia and Alanna are best friends, Alanna presence made Delia more human and less arrogant, she's beautiful and she knows it but so's her best friend.  Alanna height is totally guessed.

            Roger is NOT evil.  There is something darker out there, and Roger knows it, the throne holds no appeal for him.  Just go with it.

            Thom and Alanna are 16, there's been no war with Tusaine, yet, I may put it in.  And there was no sweating sickness, until now.

            Francis is still dead and Ralon doesn't exist.

            Jon, George, Gary, Raoul, Thom, and Alex, yes Alex, are all fiends.  Deal with it.

Prologue

            Lady Alanna of Trebond was most unusual for a lady, but a lady she was, declared so not a month ago, on her sixteenth birthday.  Her looks as unusual as the rest, the fifteen year old stood at barely five feet three inches, had long, bright, curly, copper hair, that fell past her knees when down, and luminous purple eyes.  More unusual than looks were perhaps her hobbies, or callings, they seemed both sometimes.  Alanna was fighter, and after some _divine_ intervention the priestesses allowed and aided in her study of the fighting arts.  The lady of Trebond was also a healer and a sorceress, the best in area, trained by al those gifted in healing within a days ride of the City of the Gods.

            But what Delia wondered was why her best friend was packing, much less packing at a rate that no dignified lady should be forced to pack at.  So she asked.  "Alanna, what's going on?  Why are you packing?"

            "I will be needed soon at Court."  For a moment Delia had thought she had heard wrong.

            "Court?"

            "Yes, a sickness has started in Corus, and get there soon or many more will die.  It is not natural.  Come, Faithful."  The cold, detached quality to Alanna's voice bothered Delia, it was her best friend at her most formal, most professional, least human.

            "Alanna… be safe."  The brown haired beauty looked at her fire headed friend, "I don't know what I'll do without you here.  So, come back soon?"  The honest plea broke Alanna mask, and she smiled up at her friend.

            "You'll talk to Cyntheria read some your favorite poetry, and go on as you always do when I'm away.  And you know I'm away almost as much as I'm here anymore.  Take care, Delia."  And with that the petite girl shouldered her bags and left for the sables.  Saddling her mare, Moonlight, and galloped off to the road that would her to Corus.

( It's a four day ride from the City of the Gods to Corus or at least it seems as if it would be.)

Four Days Later, in the Castle at Corus

            "Damnit, Thom, Roger, there must be **something** one you can do!"

            "We're not healers, Myles.  All we can do is try and support Duke Baird."

            "But he's too weak to do anything even with your help."

            "I know, Timon, but what more do you want us to do?  What more do you think we can do?"

            "What about that fire thing Maude did the day you left Trebond?"

            "If Duke Roger or I did that, Coram the magic we would release, assuming of course that we can release **any** in our current state, would be destructive, harmful magic."

            "Then it's a good thing, someone **can** do that is here, isn't, brother?"

            "Alanna!?"

            "Oh, look, two speak in chorus.  Bravo!  Bravo!"

            "And to think, sometimes I miss ye, lass."

            "I'm touched."  And the short red headed lady smirked at them.  Then the smirk slide in to a smile.  "I missed both of you, too.  And Maude was no fun, always looking at me she was a mother hen, and I a duck she hatched by mistake."  Her head tilted, and an almost pout formed on her lips.  "oh, well, time to work.  Looking at you all, I'd say most of you need a good sleep.  You, sir, appear fine, but both my brother, their graces, Coram, and…"

            "Timon."  Was given by the man she obviously meant.

            "--  Timon, all need their sleep, desperately.  Tortall cannot afford to lose such people."

            "Oh?  And you think we can afford to lose the Prince?"  Roger asked, harshly.

            "I neither said that nor meant it in what I did say.  I can save the Prince.  I **need** to save the Prince.  **You, **however, **need** to sleep.  If don't leave this room to sleep, I will be forced to expend energy better spent on the Prince to make you sleep, on the floor… in here.  Do you fully understand that?"

            "Your graces, Timon, it really is better to just do what she says, Alanna's not know for her patience, as I'm sure Coram can attest to."  Thom hesitantly cut in.

            "Lady Trebond, I do not think I would make it to my rooms, yet I do not wish to sleep on the floor, could you…?"  And Duke Baird, chief of Tortall's healers stretched out his hand.  Alanna took it, knowing what he wanted, she found the purple ball of fire lodged in her chest and nudged till it was large enough, then pulled a thin amethyst strand out and lead it down her arm into Duke Baird.

            "That should be enough to get you to your room and allow time to clean up perhaps snack on something if you have anything at hand."

            "Gods bless.  The Prince has a chance."  Shocked and more than a bit awed the Duke headed out of the room, the others trailing after.  Thom stopped in the doorway and turned around to look at his twin.

            "Well met, sister, thank the gods you're here."

            "Thank the Goddess, Thom.  Go to sleep I'll see you more soon."  And he left.  Alanna and Myles were left with the dying Prince.

Tbc (if you want it to)

AN:  Hope you liked that.


	2. Healing the Sickness

Title:  If the Darkness Were Different

Author:  shattered

Rating:  PG or so.

Disclaimer:  I do not own these characters, which should be obvious, because if I did, would I posting at FANfiction.net.  I thought not.

Summery:  A shifting in the Bazhir balance forces Alanna to go to the Covenant, but not simply to become a lady, but to become something *more*.

If the Darkness Were Different

            Sir Myles of Olau was by no means the stereotypical knight, in fact the man looked rather shaggy and just a bit shabby.  The plump knight was more of a scholar than a fighter and in fact taught the pages and squires the history of Tortall as well as the Code of Chivalry.  His primary interest though was in a long dead race, fittingly called the Old Ones.  Now though he found himself staring at the Lady Trebond, almost unable to fully comprehend exactly who she was.

"Well?  Are you going to help me, or are you going to stare?"

            Myles' locked gaze on Alanna had not gone unnoticed.  "Help if I can, lady."

            "Alanna… my name is Alanna.  You must be Sir Myles of Olau."

            "Well… Yes, but how did you…?"

            "I have a brother, siblings talk."  She flashed him a smile from her place on the edge of Jonathan's bed.  "The Prince is in a bad state.  All that's left are the most arcane, and powerful magics, after this it may be days before I am fully recovered."  Her tone had slipped into the cold voice that had so frightened her best friend the day before.  She shook her head and levered herself off the bed.  Alanna headed to the desk that she had set the bag that she had brought up from her horse, it took a moment of her riffling through it to find what she was looking for, vervain.  The purple eyed girl looked over at Myles head tilted, eyes appraising.  Her curt nod sent her curls tumbling, and the movement traveled like a wave down her shoulders and back till it reached the tips of her hair.

            Inquisitive green-brown eyes followed the petite red head as she move toward the roaring blaze in the room's hearth, amazed that anyone could go through so many emotions in such a short time.  Myles was no fool and he could see the family relation between Alanna and her brother, the determined set of her face was the same as Thom at his worst.  Purple eyes shone with determination and Myles knew that she would succeed, no matter what it cost her.  It was then that he noticed the small, black cat sitting on the foot of the bed, seeming to watch both Alanna and Jon, the knight shifted forward so that he could see the color of the cat's eyes…

            …and could barely stifle his gasp when he saw that they were the exact same shade as it's owner's.  Bright blazing purple.

            "Is there anyway that I can help?"  He had to ask, how could someone so small possibly save the prince all alone when Duke Baird, the best healer in Tortall, couldn't heal him with the aid of Roger of Conté **and** Thom of Trebond, it just didn't make sense to him.

            "I will need your support later, but not just now, all you have to do is sit, and hopefully not freak out."  The girl was kneeling now, and fingering the seal to the vervain.

            "You've had people freak out before?"

            "Yes."  She turned around and flashed him another bright smile,  "This is powerful magic I'm about to mess with and if I were any less trained or any weaker I probably wouldn't even survive the attempt.  I scream bloody murder every time I do it though and there's no getting around that."  She turned back to the fire.

            "Oh."

            "Quite."  And she threw the dried leaves into the fire, then thrust her hands in and started to speak.  Myles took that as his cue to be quiet and step back.

            "Dark Goddess, Great Mother, show me the way.  Open the gates to me.  Guide me, Mother of the mountains and the mares…"  The words became indistinct as the fire, which was now bright purple, blazed and seemed to almost stream into Alanna.  Now the girl shone a bright purple, her flesh full of the amethyst fire of her gift, her head went back and a single pain laden scream was rent from her lips.  Within moments Alanna had herself back under control, the purple light receding back to a gentle glow beneath her skin.  Alanna stood as though unaware of her surroundings and looked toward the bed, simply watching for interminable moments.

            Myles was shocked from his frightened reverie by the banging of the door hitting the wall hard.  Raoul and Gary stood in the doorway staring at the tableau set before them.  "We heard screaming…  Myles, what's going on?"  Gary was the first to recover the use of his tongue.

            "Yes, Myles, who is she?  And what is she doing?  Can she save Jonathan?"  Raoul's stream of questions was loosed as he and Gary approached the desk that Myles stood near, being careful to put a wide berth between themselves and the lady.  As he neared the desk he saw something glint in the eerie lavender light.  It was a gold bracelet, one that he recognized, he had been with his squire when he purchased it for his sister.  "Wait… this is the bracelet that Thom bought his sister… Is **she** his sister?"

            "Yes, this is Lady Alanna of Trebond, trained as a healer as well as a lady.  She's saving the prince."  Suddenly a noise from across the room startled them, it was a voice, Jon's, but not quite, it seemed older, somehow.

            "Who are you?"

            "Alanna.  You're worrying your friends, and your family."  Her voice too seemed older, and warmer.

            "I am?"

            "Yes.  It's time to come home, your highness."

            "My name is Jonathan."

            "Inconsequential, it's not your time yet, you must leave this place.  Now."  The words were said with an unusual patience, well unusual for Alanna.

            "Help me?"  And that shocked them; Jonathan nearly never pleaded, and never to a complete stranger.  This whole thing was getting really weird.

            "That, your highness, Prince Jonathan, is what I've been trying to do, now stop fighting me and let me do it."

            "'Kay."  And a bit of the purple fire flowed from Alanna into Jonathan's hands where she was holding them then up into his chest where it took up residence and started to flash and flare pushing back an almost intangible darkness from the Prince.  As the light receded from the prince it also started to dim in Alanna until finally only Alanna was left beneath her skin.  She released Jonathan's hands and stood up, managing even to take a few steps before the dizziness caused by such expenditure of power caught up with her.

            Lady Alanna collapsed.

            Only to be caught by Sir Raoul of Goldenlake, the large Sir Gareth the Younger of Naxen moved over to his friend and peered at the young woman that he supported.  He glanced up from his study of her face to glance at Myles standing across the room, then returned to his gaze to the copper haired healer-lady.

            "I don't mean to sound like a half wit but… what do we do now?"

AN:  Chapter two done, Yeah.  I got four reviews in one day!  That made me feel sooooo good.  Reviews are totally addictive.

RosieLady-  Thank you!  Is this soon enough for you?

Froggy-  I really wanted Alanna to still be Alanna, but to be different.  She didn't **go** to the palace, she went to the Covenant, the experiences would have been completely different so she would be different, but underneath it she has to be what we know Alanna to be like, hotheaded and aware of those things she does well, and proud of them too.  I wanted it to be Alanna, not just some redhead who'd come back from the Covenant.  This story lends itself more to the Alanna/Jon so that's probably what it'll be, much as I like George.  He's hilarious.

XX?-  I didn't mean to confuse anyone with the Roger thing but it is important that he's **not** the villain.  I hate cannon Roger but the character could go so many places, plus if Roger were evil the Gods would have had her go to the palace, right?  So he **can't** be evil.  Umm…Yeah…  Let's just go with that.

Silver Angel-  Thank you so much!  I'm trying really hard to make it different, hope it works.

Cat-  Thanks for reviewing, and look, more!

Thanks to all for reviewing,

Love to all,

 shattered__


	3. Something Great

Title:  If the Darkness Were Different

Author:  shattered

Rating:  PG or so.

Disclaimer:  I do not own these characters, which should be obvious, because if I did, would I posting at FANfiction.net.  I thought not.

Summery:  A shifting in the Bazhir balance forces Alanna to go to the Covenant, but not simply to become a lady, but to become something *more*.

AN:  It's been a while since I posted anything much less this so hope it flows in right.  Sorry to anyone who was waiting.

If the Darkness Were Different

            Sir Raoul of Goldenlake and Sir Gareth the Younger of Naxen were general considered two of the best and most well liked of the younger generation of knights.

            Raoul with his impressive, when indeed not daunting, stature, curly, black hair, and coal black eyes that seemed to radiate a gentleness quite contrary to his size, was one of the Prince's best friend and inherently trusted by many of the kingdom's hierarchy.  And Gareth, Gary to his friends, was only slightly less physically impressive.  Though in all honestly his sharp tongue and sharper mind had earned his almost as much animosity as they had admiration.  And while his dark brown hair and eyes told of his relation to his father, Duke Gareth the Elder of Naxen the King's Champion, they hinted not at all to his relation with the raven haired, sapphire eyed Prince, who was in fact his cousin and good friend.

            Right now however both of these upstanding young men were completely confused.  Gary's question rang through their minds.  'What now?'

            All three looked up from their various visual studies when the door which had swung back to a point where it was partially closed swung open again with a small swoosh of passing air.  In the doorway stood his grace the Duke of Naxen, Gareth the Elder.

            "Timon informed me that you had stayed, Sir Myles, but I hadn't realized that you two were here, Gareth, Raoul."

            "We were in the hallway, Father, when we heard a scream.  When we got here the Lady was glowing purple and then her and Jonathan started talking and the glow diffused into him.  After it had completely faded she stood tried to walk when she collapsed."  Gareth's answer was direct and to the point although through out he kept looking back at the tiny girl whose form seemed swamped by his friend's arms.  Duke Gareth joined them and studied the still face of the lady.

            "So this is the Lady Alanna of Trebond…"  The quiet words were a bit confusing to the two knights, 'THE Lady of Trebond…?'  Was there something particularly special about her beyond her healing gift?

            "Yes."  Myles' equally quiet admission.  "It's hard to imagine someone so small being able to do all that it is said she can do."

            "In all honesty, she probably **can't **do everything it's said that she can do.  You of all people should know the changing nature of rumors."  The Duke looked up, "come, Raoul, Gareth, grab anything of hers that is in here.  We shall take her to her room.  Stefan has already had the rest of her things brought up."  He then turned towards the door, Raoul following behind him as Gary picked up the packet that the vervain had been in.  Somehow Gary managed to fumble the leather envelope and as it was inverted a slip of paper fell out and to the floor.

            The simple handwriting, free of the embellishments of calligraphy, that he saw when he went to pick it up struck him as unusual for a court lady.  Gary read the note and then handed it to Myles.  Myles read it and then handed it to the Duke.

            "Looks like I'm left to do the normal things to reduce a fever."  Myles stated.

            "We'll be back with water and cloths, Myles.  We'll help, after all he's our friend."  Gary smiled at the knight before proceeding out the door.

            "Yeah, Myles, we'll be back."  Raoul agreed before carefully navigating the exit, being sure not to bump the girl he carried into anything.

            Each of the three men was buried deep within their own thoughts, all considering the Lady and the Prince.  By the time they reached the doors of Alanna's chambers they were no closer to any opinions than they had been at the beginning of the walk.  The two knights entered as the duke left to return to his duties.  Raoul gently tucked Alanna into bed after removing her riding boots.  Gary placed the things he had gathered from the room on the desk and then moved to the door to wait for his friend.

            "This is Thom's sister, Gary, her…"  And Raoul raised his eyes to meet his friend's gaze.  "She's so tiny, I know he said she was small, but…"

            "But with everything else he says about her one can't help but expect her to be… larger than life."

            "Yeah."

            Unnoticed by either a dark head popped into the room, observing the moment of silence between the friends.  "Hey, guys, what are you doing?"

            The two turned to see the third as he stepped into the room.  His slim build and dark features identified him as Sir Alexander of Tirragen, another of their friends.  Alex was know as one of the best fencers in the palace second only to Duke Gareth, also a mathematics genius Alex was a notable contribution to his friends and country.

            "Who's she?"

            "Lady Alanna of Trebond."

            "Thom's twin sister?"

            "Yeah."  With that answer Alex really looked at the small shape in the bed.

            "I kind of expected her to be… I don't know… bigger."  Soft chuckles greeted his comment.

            "Yeah, us too."  Was the reply from Raoul.  "Come on, we said we'd go help Myles take care of Jon, you coming?"

            "Of course.  How's he doing, anyway?"  Was Alex's answer as they left the room and headed towards the kitchen for the bowl, water, and cloths that they would use to calm the Prince's raging fever.

            "He's a lot better off now.  The sickness is gone, all that is left of it is the fever.  I think she saved him, Alex, I really do."  Gary responded.

            They proceeded the rest of the way in silence.  When they were a few doors down from Jonathan's door Alex stopped causing Gary and Raoul to stop, too.  He needed to be certain, to be sure, after all, this was his friend, his prince, and he just wouldn't… couldn't trust in his progress without some more reassurance.  "You really think he'll be okay?  You really believe she did it?  That she saved his life?"

            "Yes.  Yes, I do.  I… I don't full know _what_ she is but I know that she's definitely something.  …Something great… I'm certain of it."  With Gary's words and Raoul's confirming nod an unspoken proposition was given.

            And with dark eyes meeting dark eyes meeting dark eyes it was accepted and though none of the three was entirely certain of _what_ exactly they had agreed to they did know that they would protect, support, and hopefully befriend the purple eyed, copper headed healer-lady.  That they were certain of, even if nothing else was clear to them.

AN:  Hope you all liked it.  Please review with constructive criticism or even just to tell me you liked it, assuming of course that anyone will like it.  Please?

Thanks to previous reviewers.

love to all,

shattered


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